2010 FLORIDA LEGISLATURE: Controversial teacher bill gets through Senate

TALLAHASSEE — The governor who brags about coming from a family of educators said he’s ready to sign a bill bashed as a union-busting assault on public school teachers.

The so-called “teacher tenure” bill, which makes it easier to fire teachers and ties pay increases to student test scores, is so controversial it narrowly passed the Senate on Wednesday in a 21-17 vote.

“This is a bill that really focuses on trying to help children and encouraging better teachers,” Gov. Charlie Crist said hours after the Senate took what Republican lawmakers called a historic vote for education reform. “It pays better teachers more, and that just seems like the right thing to do to me.”

The tenure legislation was one of three education measures passed by the Senate in a conservative push to transform public schools. Under the package of legislation, students could face tougher graduation requirements, more money could be directed toward private schools, and a slew of teacher benefits could be eliminated.

“Education is neither Democrat or Republican,” said Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice. “All senators care and work hard every day to make Florida’s public schools the best.”

“We are raising standards in order to assure our future by making our kids more competitive with the world,” she added.

Crist has said he would sign each bill.

That’s a big blow to the state’s main teacher union, the Florida Education Association, whose bargaining power and clout in the Capitol hangs in the balance. The union once counted Crist as a reliable political ally, one who used to try to boost teacher pay and who often reminds audiences that two of his sisters are educators.

But now Crist is in the political fight of his life in a partisan Republican primary in which unions hold little sway.

“Bashing teachers is good for certain conservative members,” said Andy Ford, the union’s president, who bemoaned that there’s “no collaboration. There is no cooperation’’ from Republican leaders.

“They are going to do what’s in their best political interest and not what’s best for students,” he said.

But Republican senators said the union is only interested in protecting itself, not helping teachers. They faulted the FEA for telling teachers the tenure bill would slash salaries in half.

“Stop lying to teachers,” Sen. Joe Negron, R-Palm City, who is sponsoring the bill that expands the state’s voucher program. “There is no cut to any teacher’s salary in the bill.”

The bill’s sponsor, Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, an influential former House speaker who was elected chairman of the Florida Republican Party last month, said drastic changes are needed to transform failing public schools and prepare students for the global economy.

“It’s about our children and the future of our children and what is best for our children,” said Thrasher, a former House speaker and longtime ally of former Gov. Jeb Bush.